Please don't make me pray for the answer
2007-03-13 12:51:19 · 17 answers · asked by ste.phunny 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's an argument for believing in god... a bad argument.
Basically, it's "better" to gamble on the existence of god rather than being a non-believer since believing will get you to heaven if heaven exists and non-belief will send you to hell if hell exists.
It is flawed in oh-so-many ways.
2007-03-13 12:54:03 · answer #1 · answered by ZER0 C00L ••AM••VT•• 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Pascal's wager:
"If god exists, it's infinitely better to believe, since you get heaven instead of hell for eternity. If he doesn't, it doesn't matter since you're dead anyway. So overall it's better to believe"
This is, of course, false.
Some of the problems with the argument:
* The implied assumption that god may exist (with a 50% probability, no less!)
* The assumption that there is an afterlife with a heaven and hell
* The assumption that the god cares about belief in him/her above all else
* The assumption that if you believe in a god, it will definitely be the same god that actually exists.
* The assumption that you lose nothing if it's false. You have lost a great deal, from time praying to a nonexistent entity (somebody mentioned just today praying several hours a day!!!) to morality (your god may ask you to hurt other people) and much more besides.
* The assumption that people can believe in something simply because it benefits them. Would you believe goblins exist for twenty bucks? Why not?
* The assumption that any god won't see through the "believing just to get into heaven" ploy.
For more:
http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/wager.html
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pascal-wager/
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/theism/wager.html
2007-03-13 20:03:06 · answer #2 · answered by eldad9 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
French scientist and mathematician Blaise Pascal (for whom Pascal's triangle is named) opined this: is it better to believe in Christianity, and have some chance of achieving heaven, than to not do so, and be consigned to perdition? Phrased that way, the choice is obvious: you go for the goodies, no matter how unlikely it may be that you achieve them. But it makes just as much sense to suppose that a god exists who detests superstitious nonsense, and will consign believers to perdition, while those that correctly deduce that god is a possibility but inherently unproveable (and thus useless as a concept) will see their application of intelligence rewarded with eternal biliss.
2007-03-13 19:58:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pascal's Wager comes in many forms.
It's basically "What if you're wrong? What if there is a god and you die and you go to hell? Isn't it better to just believe in case I'm right?"
I'm sure someone's going to post the actual wager and Blaise Pascal's name, et al.. but it's one of THE most asked questions on R&S
2007-03-13 19:56:14 · answer #4 · answered by Kallan 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Gulp,sigh,
Pascal's Wager is basically that isn't it better to take the chance on salvation rather than on Hell. Its a silly reason to believe and is asked about 20 times a day, we drink when it appears. Thanks for the drink.
2007-03-13 19:55:17 · answer #5 · answered by Huggles-the-wise 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its basically a bet. Pascal wagers that God exists (though he may not in this view). If he's right, he would gain eternal life, if he's wrong, then he had nothing to lose.
But is that a moral way to determine if God is or not?
2007-03-13 19:55:16 · answer #6 · answered by Jerry 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pascal's Wager can be presented in many different forms, usually something like this:
"If you believe, and God exists, you gain everything. If you disbelieve, and God exists, you lose everything."
Alternatively :
"It makes more sense to believe in God than to not believe. If you believe, and God exists, you will be rewarded in the afterlife. If you do not believe, and He exists, you will be punished for your disbelief. If He does not exist, you have lost nothing either way. "
It amounts to hedging your bets. The consequences upon your death are shown here:
2007-03-13 19:54:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
About THE lamest argument used by christians for belief in god.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager
2007-03-13 19:55:08 · answer #8 · answered by Om 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It poses two situations: an unbeliever who discovers God exists and is doomed to hell, and a believer who discovers God does not exist and is doomed to oblivion. Pascal asks who has more to lose. It is a false dichotomy. There may be more than one god or the believer's god may be mischaracterized, among other possibilities.
Skoal!
2007-03-13 19:56:05 · answer #9 · answered by skepsis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We here usually drink if someone gives an answer as equally silly.
ex. Humans evolved from monkeys thing.
Or at least I do. Since it's coke I'll be fine
2007-03-13 19:56:51 · answer #10 · answered by Skeptic123 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋